User Stories

5 minutes 5 Questions

User stories are one of the primary tools used in Agile Scrum for expressing requirements. They are brief, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the end-user. User stories provide a concise way of conveying the desired outcome of a particular functionality without getting in…

Guide on User Stories

What are User Stories?

User Stories are a simple way of capturing product functionality from the end-user's perspective. They are structured, concise and written in everyday language. The general template is as follows: 'As a [role], I want [feature] so that [benefit]'. They are primarily used in Agile development methodologies.

Importance of User Stories

The importance of User Stories lies in their ability to facilitate communication between the development team and stakeholders; ease of understanding, prioritisation and traceability of requirements; and they promote iterative development and continuous feedback.

How User Stories Work

User Stories start with defining user roles, followed by features desired by the user and then the benefit derived from the feature. They are designed to be small enough to be coded and tested within an iteration. Acceptance criteria are attached to each user story to define done-done state.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on User Stories

1. Understand the format: The basic format of a user story is easy to understand and remember - 'As a [role], I want [feature] so that [benefit]'. This structure is essential to get right in the exam.
2. Know the importance: While answering questions related to the importance and benefits of user stories, remember to include points on better communication, collaboration, prioritization and clearer understanding of requirements.
3. Be able to differentiate: Understanding how user stories differ from use cases or traditional requirements can often come up in exams. Remember, user stories are more about collaboration and less about documentation.
4. Remember INVEST criteria: Good user stories follow the INVEST principles - Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable. This acronym could be very useful for questions regarding best practices of writing user stories.

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Question 1

A user story that requires a high level of expertise is assigned to a team member who is fairly new. What sounds like the best approach under these circumstances?

Pair the new team member with a more experienced member to ensure knowledge transfer and quality completion Reassign the user story to a more experienced team member Let the new member work on it alone to boost their self-confidence Delay the user story to the next sprint

Correct Answer: Pair the new team member with a more experienced member to ensure knowledge transfer and quality completion

In Scrum, the main goal is to deliver value while fostering a collaborative and learning environment. The option of pairing the new team member with a more experienced one is the best approach under these circumstances. It ensures that the task will be completed with a high level of quality due to the expertise of the experienced team member, and the new member will be able to learn and develop their skills over time. Letting the new member work on it alone doesn't guarantee the delivery of a high-quality outcome because of their low level of expertise. Reassigning the user story to a more experienced team member doesn't create a learning experience for the new team member. Similarly, delaying the user story isn't beneficial because it can lead to a delay in delivering value which is not desired in the Scrum framework. Additionally, it doesn't create a learning opportunity for the new team member.

Question 2

What component should a well-written user story always include?

Detailed technical specifications Acceptance criteria Estimates in time spent Developer notes Screenshots of the desired end result Specific work assignments

Correct Answer: Acceptance criteria

Acceptance criteria help guide the team to understand when the user story is complete and defines the conditions needed to satisfy user needs. Technical specifications, assignments, and the like can change as the team works on the story.

Question 3

Which technique ensures a good context and understanding of the user story?

Have only team leaders discuss the user story Have Product Owner review stories independently, without the team Keep Quality Assurance separate from development discussions Only involve the developers in discussing the user story Rely on email communication Hold a 'Three Amigos' session with team members, Product Owner, and Quality Assurance

Correct Answer: Hold a 'Three Amigos' session with team members, Product Owner, and Quality Assurance

The 'Three Amigos' technique ensures a greater understanding of the user story by including team members from across disciplines, it encourages collaboration and helps avoid potential miscommunication.

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